overload

From over- + load.

• (verb)
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/

    • Audio (Southern England):

      (file)

  • (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌoʊvɚˈloʊd/

    • Audio (US):

      (file)

  • (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌəʉvəˈləʉd/, /ˌɐʉvəˈlɐʉd/
  • (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˌɐʉvəˈlɐʉd/
• (noun)
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈəʊvəˌləʊd/
  • (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈoʊvɚˌloʊd/
  • (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈəʉvəˌləʉd/, /ˌɐʉvəˈlɐʉd/
  • (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈɐʉvəˌlɐʉd/

overload (third-person singular simple present overloads, present participle overloading, simple past and past participle overloaded)

1. (transitive) To load excessively.
2. (transitive) To provide too much power to a circuit.
3. (transitive, object-oriented programming) To create different functions for the same name, to be used in different contexts.
4. (intransitive) To fail due to excessive load.

overload (plural overloads)

1. An excessive load.
   • 2005, Hal Erickson, Television Cartoon Shows: The shows, M-Z, page 677:

     If this last verbal overload has proven anything, it is that Rocko's Modern Life played better than it reads.

2. The damage done, or the outage caused, by such a load.
3. (automotive) An load of goods above the prescribed carrying weight of the vehicle.
   • 2000, Bob Foster, Birdum or Bust!, Henley Beach, SA: Seaview Press, page 60:

     We did haul overloads sometimes[.]

4. (computing, programming) An overloaded version of a function.
   • 2005, John C Molluzzo, C++ for business programming:

     Code an overload of the insertion operator for the Rectangle class.

• 1968, Glenn Campbell - Wichita Lineman

  I am a lineman for the county and I drive the main road
  Searchin' in the sun for another overload

• overloading (noun)